Time Management Tips: To-Do List Apps that Work for You

In the summer, the last thing you want to do is leave the office at 9 o’clock at night. Getting out there and enjoying the beautiful weather is a top priority, especially when you have a long weekend planned or a vacation on the way. But there is still work to be done! In order to fit all of your tasks in, you must implement time management tips and strategies that are not only proven, but also fit with your habits and preferences. In order to help you find a fit, out NYC Professional Organizer recommends a number of time management apps.

One of our most essential time management tips is to ensure that you not only know and prioritize the tasks that you must tackle, but that you also track how you are actually spending your time. Often we find that there is a disconnect between the two and identifying that discrepancy is crucial in getting on the right track for effective time management. The apps below will help you note which tasks you’ll need to take on.

Task Tracking Apps

These apps can be thought of as more high tech versions of your hand written to do lists. They may function differently, but they each help you accomplish your end goal: identifying exactly what you need to do and the order in which to do it.

• Evernote: Evernote is a cloud based note taking application that allows you to write and access notes via both a mobile and desktop application and on the web, meaning that you can have your to do list with you wherever you go. With this application, you can create categorized “notebooks” to organize each of your notes. Evernote also allows you to created bulleted and numbered lists, to highlight important tasks and even to attach reminders to specific notes. Our NYC Professional Organizer loves this application because it’s easy to use and customize for your own needs.
• Trello: Trello is a web-based task tracking tool that takes your to do list to the next level. Though the default setting gives you three lists (To Do, Doing, and Done), you can create lists for different projects or days of the week, making this application extremely easy to tailor to you. It is also simple to move tasks (known as cards) to different lists – even to those of other team members, a plus for delegating! Trello is especially useful for managers as they can review their staffs’ lists, see what’s been done at a glance and quickly adjust the order of tasks as priorities change.

Our NYC Professional Organizer recommends trying both of these apps to see which works for you before making a commitment. But even then, you only have half the equation! Stay tuned next week to learn which tools can help you track your time to help complete the puzzle!